Easy Access to Historic Buildings

Coinciding with the final phase of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and the revision and extension of Approved Document M to existing buildings, English Heritage has published its first revision to its guidance on disability access.

The guidelines are intended for those who own, manage or occupy historic buildings and who, under the service provider, employer and education provisions of the DDA, have particular responsibilities towards people with disabilities. They are also intended for those who will be professionally involved in planning alterations to historic buildings or in advising on alternative forms of service provision-for example architects, planners and access consultants.

Advice is given on how to develop a framework in which the requirements of each property, and the needs of its users, can be assessed and an access strategy agreed. The guidance deals primarily with proposals affecting listed buildings, but the principles and advice embodied in them will be applicable to all historic buildings and landscapes and to the historic environment as a whole.

Printed copies and copies in alternative formats are available free from English Heritage Customer Services (Product code 50702)

Easy Access to Historic BuildingsView or print Easy Access to Historic Buildings on-line using adobe Acrobat  (6.2Mb)

English Heritage is committed to improving access to the historic environment, by

• Helping other agencies and organisations to adopt creative and sensitive solutions in the adaptation and management of their properties, and
• Adopting best practice itself, in relation to the properties it manages, the services it provides, and the people it employs.

More information on how we intend to improve access is set out in the English Heritage Access Policy. PDF(32K)

Access information for visitors to our properties can be found here.

  If you do not have a free copy of the Adobe Acrobat Viewer please click here to download it.